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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Even the cops laugh at the couplet

Here's a story about the latest in a continuing chain of car crashes at the east end of the handy dandy new East Burnside-Couch traffic "couplet" in Portland:

"Since the city has changed the intersection there have been several accidents here. I’ve been to several myself," said Officer Stephen Endicott. "I don’t know why, but it seems to be confusing for people who are intoxicated."...

In one past case, a driver crashed into the "bio-swale" catch basin outside the building.

It isn't the first time a police officer has expressed bemusement at this Rube Goldberg traffic "improvement."

With the Morrison Bridge now frozen in amber, it's been a lot of fun to commute town the Couch side of this couplet in the morning towards the Burnside bridge. What with the new, horribly-timed, traffic lights every block for some reason. Sandy backs up from 14th past 21st sometimes. Portland is where road "improvements" make roads work worse than before.

Much of the planning class will freely admit that these kinds of "improvements" are for everyone but motorists. The resulting congestion, pollution, and accidents are then blamed on the motorists for choosing to drive.

"Much of the planning class will freely admit that these kinds of "improvements" are for everyone but motorists. The resulting congestion, pollution, and accidents are then blamed on the motorists for choosing to drive."

What?!! Most of those people (non-motorists) are innocently trying to get to their downtown job, somewhere within the vast corporate world! So, corporate hijinks are still safe. No worries.

And what do we need more expensive, imported foreign autos around here for, anyway? Do you really want to see one more BMW with an Obama '08 sticker?

It encourages pedestrian-friendly development that increases the livability of neighborhoods in and around the Couplet, increasing property values, and promotes a healthier, greener environment for everyone.

Obama '08 stickers are usually found on the back of old Volvos and Subarus.... along with the usual "keep portland weird" sticker, green heart in oregon sticker, coexist sticker, and share the road license plate.

I live right around the couplet and it has not increased my property value. It certainly has doubled my commute time home from work and made it extremely perilous to walk around there--try getting to Old Wives Tales on foot these days. It really really sucks. What kind of mind would come up with such a thing?

I had an experience driving on Monday night that stuck in my head. I was down near Union Station with my wife and I was trying to get to the Broadway Bridge. It was around 9:30. I got funneled into some right-turn only type little streets where you go along and you can't get back. You know, the kind of micro-planning thing that you see.

So we were heading towards the river and got into an area of warehouses. There was this long concrete ledge along one - maybe it was a loading dock. On it were these dark forms and other taller ones that began to move. We both realized that we were looking at around 10 or 15 people camped out there.
Now, I've seen Dignity Village when it was closer to town, but seeing these dark shadows come to life, was chilling. I realized I was looking at something historic - 1920 all over again.

Meanwhile, the world our politicians live in isn't even in a recession - it's a big bubble full of spending projects - but for a lot of people, this is another Great Depression.

Don't be too hard on the CoP, they spent a lot of money synchronizing the lights in P-Town. The light at the Burnside Couch couplet is synchronized with the light at NE 122nd and Halsey. The light at NE Broadway and MLK is synchronized with the light at Alameda and 3rd in Los Angeles, Calif.

On KTVU-TV last night there was some schmuck from the Mayor's Office saying how the "Couplet" was making "things safer for pedestrians". Too bad the clueless reporter didn't ask him why it was so horrible for the 90% of people that use it in an automobile..

So we were heading towards the river and got into an area of warehouses. There was this long concrete ledge along one - maybe it was a loading dock. On it were these dark forms and other taller ones that began to move. We both realized that we were looking at around 10 or 15 people camped out there.

Talk about leveraged misspending. What have we spent on the day labor center? $200,000 or $400,000? This "investment" has been, via "Wonderland," parlayed into the $66 million, solar powered Bud Clark Commons. Pretty good huh? Why aren't the homeless doing the jobs and the illegals sent back on the jumbo jet? I saw a aingle mom standing at a street corner a few weeks back looking for a job. Pretty sad.

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 113
At this date last year: 155
Total run in 2016: 155
In 2015: 271
In 2014: 401
In 2013: 257
In 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269